One month into his game Batman is still ruling the box-office. The Dark Knight remained No. 1 at the cineplex for the fourth straight weekend, grossing $26 million and bringing its total take to $441.5 million – and making it the third top-grossing film of all time, surpassing the previous third-ranked Shrek 2, reports Variety. Sometime this week, the movie, starring Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger, is expected to overtake the No. 2 record box-office holder, Star Wars. (Still ranked No. 1 is Titanic, with $601 million.)
Source: www.people.com
The Batman adventure The Dark Knight, starring Christian Bale and Heath Ledger, shattered another box-office benchmark this weekend – reaching beyond the $300 million mark in a mere 10 days.
The movie grossed $75.6 million in its second weekend in theaters, bringing its North American box-office total to $314,245,000, Warner Bros. head of distribution Dan Fellman tells the Associated Press. The number breaks the record established by 2006's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, which hit $300 million after 16 days. Fellman says Dark Knight could conceivably reach the $400-million mark in about 18 days – placing it ahead of Shrek 2's 43-day record in 2004.
Hold on to your life preservers – The Dark Knight might also surpass 1997's Titanic as the highest-grossing film in U.S. history, according to Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers. That sinking-ship saga, starring Leonardo Di Caprio, made $600,788,188 domestically.
Rounding out this weekend's top five at the box office were Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly in Step Brothers, with an estimated $30 million; Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia!, $17.9 million; David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in The X-Files: I Want to Believe, $10.2 million; and Brendan Fraser in Journey to the Center of the Earth, $9.4 million.
Source: www.people.com
Raking in $155.34 million in its first weekend, The Dark Knight has delivered the best weekend box office opening ever. The record was previously set by 2007's Spider-Man 3, with $151.1 million. The Dark Knight - starring the late Heath Ledger as the Joker - earned an estimated $66.4 million on its opening day. It took in $18.5 million in Friday midnight shows alone. The last Batman installment, 2006's Batman Begins, grossed $15 million on its opening day and $48.7 million for the weekend.
Source: www.usmagazine.com
You know Katie Holmes is kicking herself for turning down the role in the this movie and letting Maggie Gyllenhaal have it. I mean Katie turned it down to do Mad Money. That made what, just over 20 and half million dollars. That is a big difference. Maybe she won’t listen to Tommy next time.
Heath Ledger's family and co-stars paid tribute to the late actor at Monday night's Dark Knight premiere in New York City. His father Kim and his wife Ines (Heath's stepmother) flew in from Australia for the event. As he left the screening, Kim gave reporters a thumbs-up. Along with Heath's older sister Kate, Heath's mother Sally Bell and her husband also attended.
"He gives a master performance," Aaron Eckhart, who plays district attorney Harvey Dent (a.k.a. Two-Face), told Usmagazine.com. "I am honored and proud to be in this film with him." Added co-star Maggie Gyllenhaal (who plays attorney Rachel Dawes): "He’s remarkable, he’s inspiring."
Actor Gary Oldman, who takes on the role of Lieutenant Jim Gordon, called Heath's performance as the Joker "electric." Co-star Michael Caine, who plays butler Alfred Pennyworth, told Us he'd be "very surprised" if Heath didn't nab an Oscar nomination. "He’s got my vote," Caine said.
"What we wanted to do was create a villain that's iconic and terrifying, I think, but also recognizably human," director Christopher Nolan told the Associated Press. "And I think Heath does that in a very interesting way - I think people are going to be blown away."
Christian Bale, who plays the Caped Crusader, said it was "tragic [Heath] is not here, but I am here to see his talents and celebrate it, and I hope everybody will." The film, already sold out in some cities, is getting rave reviews from critics. Rolling Stone's Peter Travers gave it 3.5 stars out of four, saying The Dark Knight is an "absolute stunner" and that Heath is "mad-crazy-blazing brilliant as the Joker." Heath died of an accidental prescription drug overdose at age 28 in January.
Source: www.usmagazine.com
Michelle Williams is denying a report she's missing the premiere of The Dark Knight because of tension with Heath Ledger's family. "The presumption that Michelle ever intended to attend The Dark Knight premiere is unfounded, but to say she is 'boycotting' due to a rift with Heath's family is absurd," Michelle's rep Mara Buxbaum said in a statement. She added: "It is time to allow this family to go about their lives without this continued scrutiny and speculation."
Heath's family confirmed that they would be flying from Perth, Western Australia to New York City to attend his premiere on July 14, just days before the six-month anniversary of the actor's death. Heath died on January 22 of a prescription drug overdose at the age of 28.
Source: www.people.com
Heath Ledger's father, Kim, mother, Emma, and other family members are flying in for the Dark Knight premiere on July 14 for what some are calling a "sort of tribute" to him - but don't expect to see his ex, Michelle Williams, or daughter, Matilda.
An insider said, "Michelle is furious with Heath's family and threatening to boycott the premiere. Matilda is supposed to be the beneficiary of the will, but Michelle has seen nothing from them. Heath didn't have much in cash, but there was a big house in LA and a back-end deal for Dark Knight [that] could reap millions."
Heath's will, made out in 2003 before Matilda was born, left everything to his father, mother and sisters. But Matilda is now considered the beneficiary, and Kim is the executor. Michelle fears that by the time Matilda reaches 18 and can cash in on her inheritance, nothing will be left. Years ago, Kim's brothers charged that he mismanaged their father's estate, losing millions.
Source: www.nypost.com
On Friday, the actress began promoting Synecdoche, New York, a Charlie Kaufman film costarring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Catherine Keener. "It actually does feel kind of special to have two films at the same time," Michelle said. "The film [Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island, which she's currently filming in Boston] was sweet enough to let me come here and enjoy it."
The actress (who is in town for just 48 hours, traveling without daughter Matilda, 2) added: "[It's] something you can look back on at the end of your life and think, 'That was a cool thing I did when I was 27.' " Michelle walked into the Palais du Festivals laughing and chatting with Keener, their arms linked around each other's waists.
Source: www.people.com
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